Upgrade OEM Transmission Cooler
- Thread starter 14SWTahoe
- Start date
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Smokymance
Boosted
reason i ask is cause i think i went too big...hot summer day, towing, i get maybe 140-145°F...
14SWTahoe
Full Access Member
I do not drive the truck much so it will take me some time to gather info. I did however drive this morning and I drive 65 miles one way, mostly highway but some city.
It was 80F and 95% humidity on most of the drive and saw average 25F drop in temp. I sit about 150-160 driving and about 140 idling in park (did this when I got to work to see what would happen.) Before the upgrade I would be around the 180 mark driving.
Today when I drive home it will be around 95 with same humidity, I expect temps to be the same considering the efficiency of this should be much higher than OEM.
I dont think you can go too big unless you need to balance cold weather with hot. At that point I would install a bypass to make sure your temps stay up.
I think you are good at the range you are in. What do you see when you are not towing?
I will keep this updated as I drive the truck more and the temps edge up as we go into summer, I expect it to not vary a great deal like th.ey did with the OEM
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Smokymance
Boosted
Im in michigan, so we get some cold. Cooler is the 40K GVW...its huge...in winter i drive about 10 miles to work, no towing of coarse, slow city traffic and some stop and go, about 100°F...
Towing a small boat she goes to about 140 in summer as i stated...and it seems to be standard temp while not towing either...
Dont think i have ever, ever seen temps over 150, even when hot roding it...BTW, this is all via on the dash temp gauge, nothing aftermarket...not sure where the sending unit is.
Towing a small boat she goes to about 140 in summer as i stated...and it seems to be standard temp while not towing either...
Dont think i have ever, ever seen temps over 150, even when hot roding it...BTW, this is all via on the dash temp gauge, nothing aftermarket...not sure where the sending unit is.
14SWTahoe
Full Access Member
All my temps are via dash gauge as well. I think 100F is too low in winter time, the fluid needs to be somewhat warm to flow easier, I would def install the bypass.
If I were you that would be my only concern, not the towing temp in summer.
I have seen my temp hit the 190 mark on some days, just driving in the dead of summer. 200 when towing a small trailer. FL isnt as hot temp wise as say, NV or AZ but the humidity being so high in FL makes it very difficult to transfer heat.
Smokymance
Boosted
Iv asked a few GM powertrain engineer friends of mine, with no specific answers on cold temps. They all have told me "dont hot rod it when its too cold" which to me isnt enough being an engineer myself...Of course as we all know, heat is the worst enemy of trans fluid...too cold isnt necesarily bad for the trans, other than proper flow, and with no specific answer on what that "temp" is from them, im assuming 100 isnt bad, as 100°F fluid has pretty good viscosity and its actually pretty hot...i believe somewhere in the 200s trans fluid starts loosing its properties...thats my thoughts, so please nobody take that to the bank.
14SWTahoe
Full Access Member
I am an Engineer as well and would echo your thoughts. I am in no way a fluidics or powertrain expert but some logic with education usually yields good guestimates
I think being in the 150 range is ideal, I shoot for the middle. 200 or above is very bad and to me 100 or below is borderline for cold, so I take a happy medium.
Regardless, upgrading the cooler will have nothing but good results for wear and tear of the transmission and make it last at least several years longer than it otherwise would.
The other thing to consider as well, Blackstone does transmission fluid analysis in addition to motor oil. I would be curious what they come back with. Be interesting to contact them and see what history they might have on the NNBS vehicles regarding that.
Smokymance
Boosted
Im with you on that one...i want 140 or so 150 all the time, but went a little too big...
I think this justifies me getting a little more stall!!
I think this justifies me getting a little more stall!!
I have the Tru Cool 40K. Absolutely love it. I hot rod it all the time and have a large cam with a 3000 stall. Never had any problems with my Suburban
14SWTahoe
Full Access Member
Hopefully without hijacking my own thread, what converters are most going with with simple bolt on mods, intake, tune, LT headers & y-pipe, no FI....
